waynetravis
Blue Crack Supplier
Lucy
a snoozing Gracie...
Awwwwwwww, Gracielookie i gotz a new ball.....
OMG, demon doggie!Phoebe had a case of the crazies the other day.
So I have to enroll Patches in some sort of obedience training, cause what we're doing just isn't cutting it. He's still too wild to be in the house unsupervised. He's also still only 8 months old. Do you think PetSmart is a good bet or should I look for a local company?
So I have to enroll Patches in some sort of obedience training, cause what we're doing just isn't cutting it. He's still too wild to be in the house unsupervised. He's also still only 8 months old. Do you think PetSmart is a good bet or should I look for a local company?
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Phoebe is a very fussy eater. We've changed her food three times in the past month. One day she likes it, the next she's not a fan. She responds better to eating when we handfeed her, but I don't want her to get used to it. I've never had a problem with a puppy not eating well. She's a happy, active pup and everything is normal except for that. Advice anyone?
Nikon showing off his one year old self
Now entering gangly teenager stage!! I've up'd his food quite a bit because he is literally skeletal right now, and I say that as someone who prefers a lean dog. He's just so active I can't keep weight on.
He bit my hand (accidentally) pretty bad on vacation. That was two weeks ago. Part of my thumb has been numb ever since but I wonder if the nerves are now healing b/c it just this morning started to ache. The pucture was very deep but that has closed up. I ran it under cold water and antibacterial soap for a few minutes right away to avoid infection. Now the bone/joint where he bit hurts.
Nikon had kennel cough when he was a puppy, even with a current vaccine (he got it from another dog that came to training sick, but they didn't know about kennel cough and apologized profusely). He did this reverse hacking sound for about 10 days, that was it. I didn't give him any meds (it's sort of like a human having a bad cold...usually clears on its down as long as the dog is eating and drinking well and not acting sick). So even with the vaccine there's no guarantee, since there's several things that cause it.
Get better soon, Gracie!
It totally varies. Some PetSmart's are lucky to hire really dog savvy people that have been training for years, others hire kids that have good intentions but no real experience other than taking a class. I've seen PetSmart trainers post training questions on dog boards that definitely make me think twice about ever using them. Also some places have good clubs that are priced competitively, compared to PetSmart. I look for trainers that are CGC evaluators, APDT members, and CPDT (certified pet dog trainer). If you're lucky NADOI (endorsed by the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors). PetSmart trainers may or may not have these endorsements. I steer way clear of any trainer that requires a single method and/or tool. For example, if a trainer says "everyone here must now use a choke/prong/flat/martingale collar..." I would leave. Every dog and household is different, a good trainer tailors a program to suit you and your dog, not their own agenda.
Training is a great idea. Eight months is not young to start training, but is not old to be left alone in the house. Nikon is just one year and I rarely take a shower with him free in the house! Because of his breed and their knack for chewing anything and everything, he likely will not be left alone for extended periods until he is 2 years old. A few times I've done trials but only left him out alone for 20 minutes max. He has done more damage with us being home, just running upstairs to use the bathroom, lol.